But the day belonged to the United States, which took four of the 13 golds on offer in a crowded programme, highlighted by Christian Cantwell’s dramatic come-from-behind victory over Belarus’s Andrei Mikhnevich in the men’s shot.

Ennis, in control throughout, had the satisfaction of beating Carolina Klüft’s Championship record set in Birmingham in 2003.

"I know the world record is within reach," said the double world champion, after completing the competition with 4937 points, 86 ahead of silver medallist, Ukraine’s Natallia Dobrynska.

Chambers was pushed harder than in his earlier races, but still won convincingly in a world-leading 6.48sec, with Mike Rodgers of the US 0.05 away in second place.

"It was the longest six and a half seconds in my life," the Briton said, radiating happiness after crowning his sometimes gruelling comeback from a two-year ban imposed in 2003 after a positive test for anabolic steroids.

Two hours earlier, heptathlete Bryan Clay had set the US on their way, securing the first gold medal of the championships, in a one-two with team-mate Trey Hardee.

After that, the medals came thick and fast, starting with the remarkable Meseret Defar, who secured her fourth-consecutive World Indoor Championships women’s 3,000m victory, much to the delight of a numerous and highly partisan Ethiopian contingent in the crowd.

They had more reason to cheer when Deresse Mekonnen scorched around the final lap to retain his title in the men’s 1500m.



Croatia’s Blanka Vlašic (pictured) added the indoor title to the world high jump championship she won in Berlin last year.

Arguably the day’s dramatic highpoint, however, came when curly-haired Australian pole-vaulter Steve Hooker, already assured of gold, attempted to break the longstanding world record of 6.15 metres held since 1993 by International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Senior Vice-President Sergey Bubka.

On this occasion, Hooker’s efforts came up short and, less than an hour later, Bubka was on hand to present the medals.

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